January 04, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 24, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Jan 3: Pakistan Railways (PR) on Thursday temporarily suspended the operation of 11 sets of trains.

According to Pakistan Railways, the operation of 11 trains was suspended to make available the rakes to run them on major sections due to shortage of passenger coaches.

The suspended trains include, 5-UP/6-DN Sindh Express (Karachi-Lahore), 29-UP/30-DN Shah Rukn-e-Allam (Karachi-Multan), 119-UP/120-DN Pakpattan Express (Lahore-Samasatta), 129-UP/130-DN Thal Express (Multan-Rawalpindi), 157-UP/158-DN Express (Hyderabad- Mirpur Sindh), 231-UP/232-DN Passenger (Lahore-Faisalabad-Shorkot), 239-UP/240-DN Passenger (Shorkot-Sargodha), 247-UP/248-DN Passenger (Faisalabad-Sargodha-Lalamusa), 265-UP/266-DN Passenger (Rawalpindi- Attock City) 323-UP/324-DN Sultan Bahu (Lahore-Shorkot) and KM- 1UP/MK2-DN Shuttle (Wazir Mansion-Malir).

PR had to suspend its train service due to the fact that in certain areas of Sindh, the Railway assets including trains, tracks, locomotives, bridges, level crossings, communication towers and other operational instruments came under severe attack by angry mobs after assassination of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27.

The riots cost PR billions of rupees as the miscreants burnt and damaged over 63 railway stations, 29 locomotives, 31 level crossings, 170 coaches, 18 bridges and 5 cranes.—APP